


Belle of the Ball

by rowofstars



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Idiots in Love, Married Couple, Post-Season/Series 06, Rumbelle Fluffapalooza
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-12
Updated: 2019-02-12
Packaged: 2019-10-26 22:22:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17754575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rowofstars/pseuds/rowofstars
Summary: A glimpse of one of Rumple and Belle’s adventures, post season 6.





	Belle of the Ball

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like this is the first thing I’ve written in ages. I’m so grateful to Rumbelle and this fandom for all it’s given me. Happy Skin Deep Day. [The dress is this one because I needed to write Belle wearing it.](https://timelordthirteen.tumblr.com/post/182747036692/fashion-runways-kiyoko-hata-2018-collection)

Rumplestiltskin shifted from one foot to the other and glanced at the large double doors. 

They were closed, though he could hear murmuring on the other side interspersed with the light clinking of fine china and silver. He felt oddly nervous and out of place. Usually he was the one crashing the party, stirring the pot with the nobility, but now he was an honored guest. It was quite a change, and all because of one person.

A noise from behind made him turn, his eyes widening and his mouth falling open as he beheld the loveliest vision.

“How do I look?” Belle twisted left and right, swishing the skirt of her dress.

It was a golden yellow, with a fitted bodice sewed with tiny beads that sparkled in the low light of the torch fire. The skirt flared wide, reminiscent of the dress she’d been wearing when he first brought her to the Dark Castle, but more elegant in its cut. The beading continued along the pleats down to the bottom and circled it, forming star shapes that looked as though they were bursting up and out from the floor at her feet. Her hair was pulled back and held in a diamond-studded clip atop her head. The gray streak at the front, that he adored so much, was prominent and bold. She came towards him, the dress floating around her and glittering.

Rumple shook his head and reached for her hands. “Stunning.”

She beamed at him, her cheeks flushing pink, and his lips curved in amusement. His compliments still pleased his wife to near embarrassment, even after all this time. He dipped his head and kissed her, a brief but promising press of lips.

“Why thank you,” she said, as he straightened.

“You're beautiful, sweetheart.” He turned on his heel, bringing his body alongside hers and held up his bent arm. “Shall we?”

She wrapped her arm through his, and together they pushed the doors open and stepped into the ballroom. The chatter halted and Rumple felt his face heat as all eyes in the room fixed on them for a long moment. The Duke came forward and thanked them for taking care of the dragon problem bothering his little corner of the kingdom, which was far easier than it sounded, and after they graciously accepted his accolades, the other partygoers returned to their dancing and chatter. 

Rumple’s shoulders relaxed, and Belle looked up at him, her lips pursed. “What?” he asked, looking at her sideways.

“Nothing,” she said, with a shrug. “You make a good hero is all.”

He rolled his head back, his face flat, but his mouth twitched in a small smile. Belle was forever making more pomp and circumstance of his actions than they deserved. “All I did was help a very cranky dragon transport her hoard, and her egg, to a more suitable location. I was effectively...a real estate agent.”

She giggled and wrapped her hand around his, snuggling into his side. “It was a very nice cave.”

She wasn’t wrong. It was set in the side of a craggy mountain, covered in glittering snow, and overlooked a deep emerald sea. It was much bigger than the hold the dragon had dug out for itself in proximity to the Duke’s castle, and better still it was over a thousand miles to the north.

When they returned, they brought the sword of the Duke's favorite knight as proof not only of the Knight's demise, but of the “defeat” of the fearsome dragon. The Duke was disappointed that the young man was dead and unable to be married to his daughter in reward, but his daughter seemed more than happy to be un-betrothed. 

Another arranged marriage ended abruptly by Rumplestiltskin, much to the betrothed lady’s delight. It didn’t make him much of a hero though, not the Dark One.

“Rumple…”

He sighed. He was doing it again, letting himself dwell on the fact that he was still cursed, still immortal while his family was very much not. He opened his mouth to speak as Gideon and two other boys came running by, laughing brightly. They circled around the table to their left and then went out through the double doors to a smattering of laughter and shaking heads. Their son had spent most of their time here with the young squires, swinging wooden practice swords and riding horses, an amusing diversion from his usual preference for books.

“At least _someone_ knows how to have fun,” Belle said, nudging Rumple with her elbow.

He caught her grin out of the corner of his eye and licked his lips as the music shifted to something softer. He turned to Belle. “May I have this dance...Mrs. Gold?”

She bit her lip and accepted his outstretched hand, letting him lead her out into the middle of the room. The sea of people seemed to part around them, and soon they were swaying and turning around the floor, finding the familiar rhythm and moving together with ease.

Rumple pulled back and lifted their joined hands, letting her spin around before pulling her close. Her dress sparkled around her legs as she twirled, drawing a few gasps from those around them.

“I feel like everyone is staring at me,” she said, lowering her gaze to the silk tied at her husband's throat.

“As well they should,” he replied, lifting his hand from her waist to brush his fingers along the edge of her jaw. She looked up at him, her eyes uncertain, and he moved his thumb against her bottom lip. “You're the most exceptional woman in this room.”

Belle shook her head and let her fingers play in the short strands of hair at the back of his neck. It took her some time to get used to it, but once she had, she found she quite liked him this way. It looked very nice with the suits he wore in Storybrooke, and equally so with the leathers and long coats he favored in this realm.

“Happy Anniversary,” he said softly.

She frowned slightly. “Rumple, we - we got married in the early spring. It's still late fall.”

He smiled and pressed a kiss to the side of her head as he drew her close. “I didn't mean our wedding, darling. I was thinking of another time when you wore a gold dress, everyone stared, and I was rendered momentarily speechless by your beauty.”

She pulled back and gazed up at him, her eyes bright with emotion as she recalled that very fateful day. She’d been terrified at the time, but hindsight had softened it into something sweeter. “How - how long has it been?”

Rumple looked up towards the ceiling for a moment and then met her eyes. “Counting the curse?” 

She nodded. 

“Forty one years.”

Belle nearly stumbled, and tightened her grip on his hand. “So long…” she sighed, pressing her lips together as some other thought went unsaid. “Seems like yesterday.”

He gave her a small smile, trying not to think about how many of those years had been spent apart. “Not forever?”

“I’d still choose you.” Her voice was soft as she tipped her head up, her nose barely touching against his cheek before she met his eyes. She tilted her head and her lips quirked playfully. “If only I'd known then what I know now.”

There was a suggestive tone to her voice and a lift of her eyebrows that made him clear his throat. His voice dropped when he spoke, heavy with all manner of dark thoughts. “You're lucky you didn't.”

“No,” she said, flicking her tongue against her lips. “ _You're_ lucky I didn't.”

He laughed, understanding that even in his most hideous and twisted form, Belle still loved and wanted him. “That is... absolutely true.”

The music faded out and they moved to the side as a livelier tune started. They watched as several young couples took up a dance involving entirely too much spinning and hopping, and sipped at goblets of red wine.

“So,” Belle said, drawing her fingers down the brocade sleeve of his coat. “How shall we celebrate this anniversary?”

Rumple looked her up and down, his eyes darkening as he slipped his hand around her waist. “I think I have a few ideas…”

The Duke had insisted they stay for the night, offering them a rather opulent room, with a smaller one across the hall for Gideon. Rumplestiltskin lead her out of the ballroom, crossing the middle of the floor, not caring that everyone's eyes were on them for an entirely different reason than when they arrived. His arm was around Belle, pulling her rather possessively against his body, leaving little doubt where they were headed or what might happen when they got there.


End file.
